Cerise
by celticmusebooks
Summary: A new Lt. is transferred to the Enterprise and quickly sets her eyes on the exotically handsome First Officer. Some twists and turns so hold on.  Some mild sexual implications.
1. Chapter 1

_OK I don't own Star Trek except in my wildest fantasies where I'm queen the entire universe. This is a work of fiction for entertainment. _

Cerise Jones scanned her hair and makeup in the mirror of the small staff fresher in Sickbay. Scrutinizing her profile in the reflection she gave herself a satisfied smile. The Deltan bra had cost her almost a month's pay but it was worth every credit.

"Lieutenant Jones," It was Dr. Chapel's cool voice calling from the examination room. _Damn the old witch is flying today!_

"Yes Doctor," Jones replied dutifully as she took a quick swipe at an out of place auburn curl.

"Commander Spock is on his way down from the bridge. I need for you to get the files from the probe up on the viewscreen."

_Really, she can't put the stupid files on the viewscreen herself?_ The lieutenant let out an exasperated sigh. _Just hold on Cerise_, she reassured herself, a_ few days more here in sickbay and you'll be the assistant to the Science Officer and Chapel and that old country bumpkin can find themselves another lackey to do their bidding_.

"That pointy eared hobgoblin is coming back down here again?" Leonard McCoy bellowed from his private office. "That's the third time today. Since when does bridge crew spend half their shift in sickbay?"

"It's only the second time," Chapel returned leaning inside the CMO's door. "He brought the samples in when the probe returned at oh nine thirty hours and he's coming back to review the test results."

"I don't care; he's always down here on some pretext." McCoy protested as he pushed past her into the examination room. "What's going on with him? Do you think it's some post V'ger thing?"

Chapel shook her head and sighed. "Jones! Have you got those files loaded?"

Cerise gave her lipstick a quick touch up and returned to loading the data into the terminal for the main viewscreen. She'd been anxiously anticipating the First Officer's return since this morning. There was no denying this thing that was growing between the two of them. Even McCoy, the oblivious old hick, had noticed that since she'd been transferred to Sickbay the tall dark Vulcan's visits were becoming more frequent.

"Jones!" Chapel called again, making no effort to mask the irritation in her voice.

"Ready Doctor." Cerise answered curtly. The First Officer's interest in her apparently hadn't gone unnoticed by Chapel who seemed to be perpetually on her case. From what Cerise had been able to harvest from the Enterprise rumor mill, during the first mission, then Nurse Chapel had been madly in love with Commander Spock, but the Vulcan didn't reciprocate her interest. Sure, Chapel pretended that was all water under the bridge, acting cool and professional whenever Spock was in Sickbay; but she'd seen that fleeting look of longing when Chapel thought no one was looking.

If Cerise had learned one thing her twenty five years, it was that quiet longing never got anyone anything worth having. The important things in life went to those with the guts and drive to go after what they wanted and didn't take "no" for an answer. She had wanted the exotically handsome First Officer from the first moment she'd seen him walking through the mess hall, aloof and unobtainable like some ancient Vulcan god.

Jones stole a quick glance at Chapel who seemed engrossed in the chartpadd she'd been reviewing. The young lieutenant wondered how the dark haired doctor would react if she knew that Cerise and Spock had shared dinner together last night in his quarters, or that after complimenting her on her research skills he'd reassigned Christine's evening lab shifts to Cerise.

Cerise's gleeful reverie was interrupted as the Vulcan First Officer entered sickbay.

"Dr. Chapel," he nodded formally as Christine rose from the desk.

"Commander," she returned powering down the chartpadd. "I'm afraid that the results of the tests were as you had suspected. It appears that Romulans have been on the planet recently."

"How recently?"

"There is insufficient data to determine how recently or how extensively they've explored this planet. We'll need to send the survey team down to run more comprehensive scans."

"Lieutenant," Spock nodded and Cerise responded with a coy smile and a softly whispered "sir" being careful to make sure that Chapel wasn't looking.

"I will require you for the landing party."

Christine frowned and her eyes narrowed. "There are already twelve assigned to the landing party; we don't have proper equipment for any additions."

"Lieutenant Jones won't be an addition Doctor," he responded, his voice neutral, "She will be replacing you."

"Replacing me? You can't do that!" Chapel protested making no effort to soften the anger in her voice.

"Quite the contrary Doctor, as First Officer it falls within my purview to assign personnel to landing parties."

"Lieutenant Jones is not experienced in the protocols of serving on a landing party, and there will be a considerable element of risk on this particular expedition. Commander, I fail to see the…" she crossed her arms across her chest, a look of defiance in her sapphire eyes, "logic…of replacing me on this landing party."

_Ah, so the old cat has a little fight in her yet. _Jones mused.

"I shall not entertain any discussion of this matter, the decision is made. Lieutenant Jones, you will report to Transporter room three at nineteen hundred hours for landing party duty."

Spock nodded tightly at each of the women, his face the impassive Vulcan mask of authority, then he turned leaving sickbay without further comment leaving two stunned women in his wake.

Cerise and Christine stood in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments. Chapel picked up a heavy mug emblazoned with the Starfleet Medical logo and filled it with coffee. She took a long drink, and then a deep breath before fixing Cerise with an icy glare.

"You are excused from the remainder of your shift, Lieutenant. You should use the time to study the procedures and protocols for a level red landing party."

Before Jones could answer, Chapel stormed into her office the door swooshing softly behind her. Cerise heard the sharp click as the privacy lock engaged followed by the unmistakable sound of a Starfleet coffee mug shattering against the office wall.


	2. Chapter 2

Cerise twisted her auburn hair into a regulation French knot, and then did a quick touch up of her makeup. She smiled, recalling Chapel's rage at being summarily dismissed from the landing party. _Old cow! Does she honestly think that a man like Commander Spock could possibly have the slightest interest in someone like her?_ She could almost feel sorry for the old maid if all that "nose to the grindstone" crap she pedaled wasn't so freaking annoying.

Cerise had plans, and they did not entail spending her life toiling away in the background. There were some who were satisfied being part of the unnamed cast of thousands, but she had her eye set on the center stage. The fates had given her two gifts to ease her way through life, brains and beauty; and the later had a short shelf life. She'd already wasted nearly a year on the Farragaut with Captain William Hollister, sole heir of the Hollister Dilithium processing empire.

Old Billy Boy had strung her along with promises that when his marriage termed out he'd marry her and set her up in a plum position at Fleet HQ in Frisco. Instead he'd gotten his wife pregnant and they'd recontracted for a life marriage. Then, adding insult to injury he'd given his wife the position he'd promised her and transferred her to the Enterprise. He'd tried to sugarcoat it..."flagship of the fleet…"opportunities for advancement"…blah blah blah… the fact of the matter was that she was now a very small fish in a very very large pond.

It was her worst nightmare, shunted aside to a tedious position in Sickbay with the dauntingly cheerful Christine Chapel who always seemed to have some helpful hint as to how she could improve her work output. She wouldn't mind giving Chapel a few "helpful hints" herself, like lose the baggy lab coats and put on a little lipstick for heaven's sake.

But Cerise's prospects had taken a most dramatic turn three weeks ago when she looked up from her meal tray to see the strikingly handsome First Officer standing over her asking if he might join her for lunch. He had the most beautiful eyes; and his voice, a deep rumbling baritone warmed her to the core. Vulcan or not, the man was hot, damn hot. She hadn't missed the flurry of heads turning when he'd set his tray down and took the seat opposite her; she suspected, and her later enquiries confirmed, that he never dined with junior staff. The conversation and been polite yet surprisingly friendly. He'd quizzed her on her goals with Starfleet and seemed pleased that she was hoping to move out of sickbay and into the science labs.

Over the ensuing weeks the relationship slowly continued to develop. There was always a special nod between them or a bit of conversation during his increasingly frequent stops by sickbay; and twice he'd asked to join her at lunch. But last night had been her crowning achievement; he'd invited her to dinner in his cabin.

She'd made no secret of her displeasure working for Chapel and McCoy, cleverly working it into the conversation at every possibility hoping to subtly lobby him for a more prestigious, and less boring position under him in the labs. _Under him_, she laughed, if all went as planned she would be "under him" in the very near future. It seemed her efforts had paid off nicely; he was transferring her from sickbay and reassigning her all of Chapel's Gamma lab shifts, reporting directly to him.

Everything was unfolding beyond her wildest expectations. Understanding men was hardly rocket science. In her experience, men were interested in one thing, and that thing was sex. Her research on Vulcan sexual mores and practices turned up very little, except that Vulcans rarely engaged in sexual relations outside of marriage and unlike most humans they mated for life.

Getting into the Vulcan's files had been the proverbial "piece of cake". How on earth could someone end up Chief Medical Officer on the flagship of the Federation fleet yet actually use "password" as his computer password. The files had been a goldmine of information. Commander Spock, his surname an unpronounceable jumble of letters and symbols, was forty two years old; the only son of Vulcan Ambassador Sarek and his human wife Amanda Grayson. His family was quite prominent, tracing their lineage back to someone named Surak. They were also, she found to her delight, one of Vulcan's wealthiest families. The full body scans showed he was in superior physical condition, and she was pleased to see that that his genitalia was both humanoid and larger than average.

According to his access logs he'd been downloading a considerable number of books from the ship's computer library. Most were dry scientific monographs, but two in particular caught her attention. The day after their first lunch together he'd downloaded a book on Terran marriage customs, and current genetic studies on human Vulcan hybrid pregnancies.

There was a locked medical file, which of course McCoy fortunately had the foresight to secure with his standard "password", which provided a major piece of the puzzle. She scanned the report quickly. _Five standard years ago…a mystery illness…a frantic trip to Vulcan…a wife on Vulcan…ponn farr…a seven year cycle…mate or die…the marriage unconsummated and dissolved._

Cerise smiled. It was a simple mathematics problem. Five from seven left two… two years until he would be required to take a wife. It seemed pretty clear why he'd chosen her for the landing party. Down on the planet they'd have some time alone together, and Cerise was determined to use that time to her advantage. _The marriage unconsummated, _somehow the thought of seducing a virgin was incredibly arousing. The Deltan bra and matching thong were decidedly nonregulation, but studying herself in the mirror she felt quite confident Commander Spock wouldn't have his mind or Starfleet regulatons.


	3. Chapter 3

Cerise listened half heartedly as Commander Scott droned on about the various pieces of equipment attached to her jumpsuit. He passed out the specially calibrated tricorders to the team then launched into the background information on the mission. Vericula II was a small, supposedly uninhabited M class planet whose proximity to the Romulan Neutral Zone made it an attractive spot for a Federation monitoring outpost. But the samples the probe brought back indicated that there had been lifeforms on the planet quite recently, most likely Romulans.

"Our mission is to gain insight into what interest this planet might hold for the Romulans." All eyes in the transporter room turned toward the voice of the Vulcan First Officer who'd entered the room. "They would not risk incursion through the Neutral Zone and into defined Federation space without significant motivation. There are several scenarios that are of particular concern to Starfleet. Mr. Scott."

"Aye Commander. You'll be beamed down in six teams of two. Your scanners have been preset for Romulan lifesigns, radiation traces associated with Romulan weapons and explosive devices, and frequencies associated with Romulan transmission devices.

"Should the scanner turn up any anomalies, you will approach the site and take more extensive readings. Those readings will be immediately uploaded to the ship's computers and you will stand by for further direction based on that analysis."

Spock cleared his throat. "The Romulans have a particular fascination with the fabrication of, I believe the term is "booby traps". I would caution each of you to avoid directly touching or moving anything, regardless of how innocuous it might seem. Are there any questions?"

After a few moments of silence he picked up a padd from the console of the transporter. "Very well. Gomez and Brown, you'll have zone one, Thompson and Taylor zone two, Smith and Kyle zone three, Reynolds and Doughty zone four, Wiggins and Sulu zone five, Jones, you'll be with me."

'_You'll be with me'_ the simple pronouncement made Cerise's heart leap, and without warning the realization washed over her. This wasn't like the others. He wasn't like the others. This wasn't about power, or control or advancing some abstract life goal she'd fantasized. She wanted him to belong to her, but more she wanted to belong to him as well. It was a new and rather frightening emotion and for the first time in her life she felt unsure of herself.

"Lieutenant." The silken baritone cut into her muddled thoughts and she realized that he was waiting for her to join him on the transporter platform.

He nodded tightly to Commander Scott and Cerise felt the soft vibration of the transporter beam as the room dissolved into shimmering iridescent light.


	4. Chapter 4

Cerise felt a fleeting wave of nausea as she and Commander Spock materialized in a small clearing on Vericula II. Based on the position of the sun it appeared to be approximately midday in this section of the planet. It was a pleasantly warm day, and the atmosphere with its higher oxygen content was invigorating. A breeze, soft as a gossamer wing swept through the large trees that surrounded them making an almost comical sound that reminded her of an audience clapping.

She turned to her companion and saw a fleeting look of pleasure soften his angular features.

"It's so lovely here." She said softly hoping to draw him into conversation.

"Indeed. Quite aesthetically pleasing." He looked off beyond the clearing to a rocky outcropping.

"Thank you…" she paused as he turned his gaze back to her, his dark brown eyes felt as if they were piercing her very soul. She cleared her throat nervously. "Thank you for bringing me here, sir."

"One does not thank logic Lieutenant. If you will boot up your scanner, I've preprogrammed the route of our survey. The probe revealed no particularly dangerous plant or animal life in this section, but it would be prudent for us to remain in relatively close proximity."

"Yes sir," she responded matching his formal register. '_Close proximity' will be fine with me Commander._

Spock went about his work systematically making then sending scans in silence, and Cerise dutifully followed his lead. The sooner they finished this tedious work, the more time they might have alone together before beam out.

The pair worked a diamond grid pattern for several hours without gleaning any data the computer deemed of use. This expedition was certainly not the romantic getaway she'd fantasized. Frustrated she advanced to the next scanpoint and set herself to make the scans. She tensed as she watched the brief red flash on the screen. Perhaps it was the tedium causing her imagination to work overtime, but she was certain that she'd seen the scanner attempting to lock onto a transmission signal, then just as quickly disengage itself. She quickly glanced in Spock's direction, but they were at the apex of the diamond and beyond visual contact.

Taking a step back she made a second scan, and this time she was certain that she hadn't imagined the anomaly. Once again there was the almost imperceptible red flash as the scanner attempted to capture the signal then nothing. She made a quick visual survey of the area and found nothing to indicate any communications device save what they'd carried down themselves. It was in all likeliness a faulty chip in her scanner, but it would have to be checked out nonetheless.

"Damn!" she grumbled as the scanner uploaded the readings. That probably killed any chance of having some free time planetside with Spock. As she's suspected, the screen directed more focused scans of the immediate area. With a frustrated sigh she tightened the grid pattern and began a series of deeper scans for communication frequencies, or computer chips signatures common to Romulan technological devices.

The computer found nothing of interest in the data she uploaded and she was about to run the final set of scans when she saw the opening in the side of the rocky outcropping. Moving closer she found it was the opening to what appeared to be a large cave. Puzzled, she flipped back to the survey map created by the initial probe. It showed the hills as solid rock: with no caves, caverns or void spaces of any kind. The geomapping probes on the Enterprise were state of the art, and it was unlikely they'd miss a cave this size.

Protocol dictated that she contact Spock, who would send for a team to check out the cave. Of course that course of action would be the final nail in the coffin of any romantic interlude on this idyllic planet. Quickly she formulated her own protocol. She'd make a quick survey of the cave herself. If she found anything that bore further investigation she'd backtrack to the cave entrance and summon assistance.

She sloughed off the heavy pack leaving it next to the cave opening then detached the lumi from her toolbelt. She set the light to high then moved through the opening. Immediately she felt subtle uncomfortable buzzing and noted that the hair on her arms was standing on end. _A low grade force field?_ She wondered_, or maybe some sort of cloaking signal?_ Her Fleet training told her to fall back and summon her Commander, but her curiosity combined with a rush of adrenaline got the better of her and she continued to press on, the piercing beam of her lumi cutting a path through the ominous darkness.

By all appearances the cave was a natural formation, going about seventy meters back into the hillside with no indication that anyone other than the native wildlife had been in residence. Though she was loathe to admit it, the odd sensation while entering the cave had been nothing more than fear. _You really are letting your imagination run wild, _she chided herself. Cerise was tempted to take a quick scan, but that could expose her failure to follow landing party protocol which would, no doubt, displease Commander Spock. Vulcans were a rule bound lot, and she didn't imagine that the Commander would find skirting Starfleet regulations an attractive trait in a potential mate.

_Potential mate_, she smiled at the thought of the two of them on the floor of the cave locked in a torrid embrace, his dark eyes filled with desire for her. Her thoughts dropped from his eyes to his sensuous lips then kept moving on a decidedly southern journey_. Eyes on the prize,_ she laughed to herself. _Wasting time fantasizing won't get you what you want. _ She needed to get back to work if she and Spock were going to have any private time before beam out.

She ran the lumi along the stone interior one last time and was about to turn back toward the faint light coming in from the distant cave opening when her light hit something that stopped her cold. Could it be? It appeared to be something carved into the smooth rock at the very back of the cave. She moved closer and confirmed it was a symbol, or perhaps alien script of some sort. Unthinking, she reached out and ran her fingertips along the contours of the intricate carving. Without warning the stone wall dissolved revealing a brightly lit room filled with banks of highly sophisticated computers and walls lined with dozens of monitors.

Panicked she turned back toward the opening of the cave, just in time to see the outline of a dark figure moving rapidly toward her in the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

Cerise felt her heart pounding so hard she genuinely feared it might explode. The lumi slipped from her trembling fingers, shattering loudly on the stone floor of the cave. The intruder was bearing down on her quickly and with no where to run she determined her only alternative was to make a stand here. Pushing through her terror she fumbled for the phaser clipped to her jumpsuit. Deftly clicking the weapon to on she heard the faint hum as the unit booted itself up charging for full phase. A momentary flash of anger broke through the fear; she should have never entered into the cave without first charging the weapon and switching it to standby. That was standard procedure for entering any unknown space planetside, even a first year cadet would have had the prudence to arm themselves before entering an unmapped cave on an uncharted planet.

Feigning a bravado she most certainly didn't feel, Cerise planted her self pointing the still useless phaser at the looming figure in the dim hope that her menacing body language and the specter of the weapon might be enough to hold him at bay until the phaser was fully functional.

Cerise swallowed hard as the dark figure halted several meters from her, the low pitched whine from the phaser making it clear that it was still not ready to fire.

"I would suggest you lower your weapon Lieutenant Jones; I understand the penalties for shooting your superior officer are most unpleasant."

"Commander? Commander Spock?" She struggled to make out the faintly backlit form as he slowly approached her.

"Were you expecting someone else Lieutenant?"

Though she couldn't see the Vulcan's expression she was certain that she heard a tone of faint amusement in his voice.

"No I just…how did you find me?"

I finished my portion of the survey and continued by backtracking your section of the grid. I saw your pack at the entrance of the cave. You should not have entered this cave without contacting me first."

Cerise felt her panic returning. He would, no doubt expect some explanation for her presence in the cave. "I found a Romulan listening outpost at the end of the cave."

"In this cave?"

"There's an access door about ten meters back."

"How did you find this access door?"

"There was a symbol carved along the wall," she reached for the lumi on her tool belt to show him suddenly realizing that she'd dropped it on the cave floor. "If I could borrow your illuminator for a moment sir?"

He removed the device from his belt, the cool light coming on at his touch. Cerise took the device, allowing her fingers to graze the back of his hand for a split second. She moved the light against the stone wall until she found the strange carving again.

"I thought it might be some sort of Romulan symbol."

"You though correctly Lieutanant."

"I touched it and the door opened."

Spock paused for a moment then cautiously touched the carved symbol. Once again the door dissolved revealing the sophisticated computer banks and viewscreens "Fascinating," he said, as his eyes surveyed the room. "How were they able to conceal this equipment from our probes?" He consulted his tricorder for a moment and faint frown crossed his face. "This void doesn't even appear on our geoscans."

"When I entered the cave, I had a momentary feeling of… something, sort of a buzzing sensation and the hair on my arms sort of stood on end. I think they must have installed some sort of electronic cloaking device that makes the cave appear to be solid rock to our scans."

The Vulcan nodded, "given the Romulan's cloaking technology, a most logical theory Lieutenant. It would appear to be blocking my tricorder from communicating with the Enterprise as well." He made another series of scans then turned his attention back to her. "It would appear the Romulans anticipated our plans to set up a monitoring outpost here and set up an outpost of their own." He studied the equipment for a few moments without speaking. "This is beyond the parameters of our knowledge of Romulan technology. This system has the capacity to backstream data into any surveillance relays."

"I don't understand?"

"Had we set a monitoring station here they would have been able to feed ghost data to Starfleet , effectively creating a blind spot in the border of the Neutral Zone."

Cerise gasped as the realization of what Spock said sank in. "If this system has the capacity to backstream into our data banks then it theoretically could hack into the main Starfleet databanks."

"Indeed Lieutenant, it would compromise Starfleet operations in every quadrant of the galaxy."

"I believe we should return to the beam out point, and have Engineering send down a team to analyze this equipment. It may be possible to reprogram the system to our own advantage."

Cerise couldn't stifle the self satisfied smile that spread across her lips as Spock finished one final scan. There would no doubt be a commendation for her part in the mission, and surely even tightassed Vulcan logic would have to excuse her lapse in Fleet protocols given the monumental nature of her discovery.

The glint of light bouncing off of a small sheet of mirror finished metal lying on the console nearst to the door caught Cerise's attention. Checking to make sure Spock had his back to her she picked it up and took advantage of the reflective surface to rearrange her wind blown hair. Without warning the metal changed color and the room filled with an opalescent glow.

Spock's eyes darted around the room tensely. "Some sort of security device perhaps? I suggest we remove ourselves with all haste Lieutenant."

Cerise anxiously nodded her assent moving quickly for the door. They were not quite halfway to the opening of the cave when a series of small explosions rocked the small space and sent the pair sprawling onto the cold stone floor.

"Lieutenant Jones, are you injured?" The Vulcan's deep baritone cut through the darkness.

Cerise took a deep breath and pulled herself to her feet, making a quick survey of each section of her body. Her limbs and joints we're all present and in working order.

"I'm ok sir. What about you?"

"I am uninjured."

Cerise fished in the pocket of her jumpsuit and retrieved the illuminator she'd borrowed from the commander. As she surveyed their surroundings she felt a hard knot forming in her stomach. The resulting slide of rocks and debris left them cut off both from the computer room and from the opening to the outside. They were trapped under a mountain in a cave no one knew existed. The scanners wouldn't find them through the Romulan cloaking signal. The two of them were going to die here.

"Lieutanant," Spock called sharply, breaking through the building sense of panic threatening to devour her. "We need to remove this debris as quickly as possible. I will need your assistance."

"Sir," she mumbled absently trying to focus on what he was saying to her. "Yes sir!"

"I will attempt to move the larger stones. I would like to you work on the smaller pieces."

Cerise nodded and began work digging through the heavy mix of dirt and small stones. Within a few moments she was exhausted and found that she was having difficulty keeping her eyes focused. A sweet almost intoxicating fragrance began to permeate the small space and Cerise felt a chill through her body.

"Mercidox gas." Spock dropped the heavy rock he'd been attempting to move and turned to face her, his face grim.

Cerise slumped down onto the cold stone. Mercidox gas was a favorite of the Romulans. Apparently it wasn't sufficient to bury them under a ton of rock, they were going to gas them to death as well.

"Try to control your breathing Lieutenant." Cerise opened her eyes to find Spock kneeling beside her. "It will slow down the absorption of the poison into your system."

"What does it matter?" she responded bitterly. "We're going to die here."

"There are always possibilities Lieutenant." He took her hand timidly. "We need to hold on until we find a way out of here."

Cerise shook her head. Apparently Vulcans weren't as logical as she'd been lead to believe.

"Cold," she said, her voice a hoarse whisper, " I'm so cold."

"You must hold on Lieutenant, that is an order."

"So cold…"

Cerise closed her eyes, sinking unresisting into the numbing cold. Then, miraculously she found herself enveloped in a gentle warmth. Arms, strong arms, pulled her against an even warmer muscular chest. Breath, soft breath feather light in her hair.

_Hold on!_ A command, not from his lips, she heard his voice coming from deep within her mind. _Impossible._

A breathtaking collage of thoughts and images, strange and incredibly beautiful moved through her mind_. My mind to your mind…our minds are one…slow your breathing…slow your heartbeat…hold on._

Somehow he was inside of her mind. She knew that Vulcans were touch telepaths, but this was much more than simple telepathy. She was thinking with his thoughts, and feeling an intoxicating tangle of human and alien emotions. _Guilt_, he was feeling guilt that she was here. _My selfishness, please forgive me…sorry so very sorry…failure of the mission that rests on me as well. _Then most unexpectedly came a wave of deep longing and the image of a sapphire blue light, just beyond her reach, it was so warm so safe. The feelings beyond any she'd ever known and she knew without question that this was love, pure, perfect deep and enduring.

Without warning she felt a hard jolt and a white hot flash shot through her mind followed by darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

It was just like all of those stupid good news bad news jokes. The good news was that there apparently was life after death; the bad news was that heaven was remarkably like the sickbay of the Enterprise. Cerise felt a rush of relief as her senses gradually returned. She could feel the warm comfort of the biobed beneath her and hear the insistent beeping of the lifescan monitors as they relayed her vital signs to the medical personnel. The sweet perfume of the Romulan Mercidox gas had been replaced by the more subtle, acrid smell of the antiseptstasis field, and a there was a sharp metallic taste in her mouth that she recognized as the side effects of a high dose antitox infusion.

_Dark, why is it so dark?_ She struggled unsuccessfully to open her eyes.

"What…can't see?"

A gentle hand, a Vulcan hand, covered hers, and she felt immediate comfort and assurance. "Do not attempt to speak, you are in the sickbay of the Enterprise. Doctor Chapel has you sedated until they can finish flushing the neurotoxins from your system. You need to rest now."

For the briefest of moments she felt the touch of him within her once again, words and images beyond her understanding, and the subtle mosaic of emotions. _Guilt, anger, pain, self recrimination…and a pressing need…absolution yes he needed her forgiveness, then the warm sweet blue light returned…yes on the edge of her consciousness, again just beyond her reach and she found her own heart opened with longing for that light…so close…never always…parted never parted...contradictory truths just beyond her grasp…_

"Commander, the Admiral needs you on the bridge." Cerise heard the soft rusting of Chapel's labcoat against the biobed then noted the change in the sound of the clicks and beeps emanating from the lifescan machine.

"Thank you Doctor. Please inform the Admiral that I am on my way. You will inform me when she awakens?"

"Yes, sir."

Cerise felt a gentle veil of warmth envelop her as she dropped off to sleep.

It was a hot day, even by Vulcan standards, and Cerise longed for a cool breeze. She ran an approving hand over the jeweled bodice of the elaborate Vulcan wedding gown. Across the ballroom of Spock's familial palace the guests were assembled. Suddenly, moving with feline grace from the shadows Spock appeared. He was breathtaking, a vision of masculinity, the black silk robes flowing as he moved confidently to the bronze gong in the center of the hall. Cerise felt the overwhelming arousal growing within her.

He spoke the words of the ancient ritual, his voice strong and clear as he summoned her to him. One of the priestesses struck the gong signaling Cerise to the wedding. The high priest, his face an impassive mask, brought their hands together as he intoned the primordial chant. Spock, his dark eyes blazing nodded his assent then prompted her to do the same.

"They are joined as one." The priest announced to the crowd. The priest and priestesses processed from the hall, the wedding guests following in silence.

"My wife," he said his voice hoarse and eyes hungry with desire.

"Yes, my husband."

He seized the bodice of her wedding gown with powerful hands tearing the garment from her body, the precious gems splattering on the marble tiled floor. He eyed her lush body with extreme approval then pulled her toward him in a passionate embrace.

"No!" From out of the shadows she heard an angry voice, and turned to see Christine Chapel moving toward them like a tiger stalking prey. "I won't let you have him!"

Too late Cerise saw the flash of the dagger in the doctor's hand. Before she could utter a sound she felt the icy blade as it penetrated her heart.


	7. Chapter 7

"It's okay Cerise." Dr. Chapel said calmly as she took the woman's hand. "I had to restart your heart. Try to open your eyes."

Cerise opened her eyes to find a smiling Christine Chapel hovering over her like a mother hen. "You had us all worried. If DeSalle's team had gotten to you and the Commander a few minutes later I'm not sure either of you would have made it back alive."

"Commander Spock?"

"He's fine. He asked to be notified as soon as you awakened."

"How…, how did DeSalle find us?"

"He didn't have to find you; Commander Spock contacted him with your location and called for an Engineering team to beamdown before he went into the cave. That's the proper protocol for a level red landing party." Chapel pealed the wrapper from a frozen hydro stick and held it to Cerise dry lips. "Here, this will help. "

Cerise sucked the cool sweet ice greedily while Chapel evaluated her bioscans, and made small adjustments.

"Commander Spock, he was here earlier?"

"Yes he spent the night here. I believe he was quite concerned about you." Chapel gave Cerise a warm smile. If she'd seen the Commander holding her hand earlier she was certainly maintaining her "game" face.

"Is he coming now?"

"He's in a briefing with the Admiral but he said he'd be down shortly."

Chapel returned her attentions to the lifescan readouts for a few moments her cool professional demeanor betrayed by anxiously gnawing her lower lip.

"Is there a problem Doctor?"

Chapel sighed and fixed Cerise with a worried, almost maternal gaze. "Lieutenant…Cerise. May I call you Cerise?"

"Sure."

"It's a lovely name."

"It's French for cherries. My mother had an insatiable craving for cherries the whole time she was carrying me."

"I hope you won't feel I'm being to forward in asking you this Cerise. You're a bright, driven, lovely young woman. What are you doing with your life?"

"What do you mean, what am I doing with my life?"

"Look, I've seen your files. You've been bouncing from one posting to another, from…one man to another."

"What I do with my life is of no concern to you Doctor."

"I was like you once Cerise. I chased after men, thinking that if I could find the right man all of the pieces would come together and my life would make sense. I put my career on hold and bamboozled my way onto the Enterprise to find a man who it turned out had been dead for years. Then instead of going back my life when I had the chance, I stayed on the ship…" Chapel swallowed hard and chuckled bitterly, "I stayed on the ship waiting for another man to love me."

"I'm sorry Doctor; I don't see what your failed love life has to do with me."

"Don't you see? It wasn't love that failed me; I failed myself. After the first mission ended, I finally decided to start chasing myself. Instead of finding the things in me that would please someone else, I searched for the things that I wanted, that I needed to be me. It wasn't until I stopped trying to be someone else so that someone would love me that I finally found me."

"I appreciate the pep talk, but your concern is unnecessary Doctor Chapel." Cerise responded coolly. "Would it be possible to get a comb and a mirror?"

Christine reached into the nightstand and pulled out a sealed pouch containing a kit of personal care items and tossed it onto the biobed. "Here, knock yourself out."

Cerise smiled back at her reflection in the small hand mirror. She looked darn good for someone who'd had a mountain fall on her. Somehow she couldn't resist a parting shot as Chapel returned to the desk outside of the small ICU room.

"Jealousy is most unattractive in a woman of your age."

"Jealousy?" Chapel stopped dead in her tracks, then slowly turned to face her. "You think I'm jealous of you? Why on earth would I be jealous of you?"

"Oh come on Doctor, stop pretending. You've been riding me since the day I was assigned here and we both know why."

"We do?" Chapel's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms across her chest defiantly. "Well just for the sake of argument why don't you enlighten me?"

"You're jealous because of Commander Spock's interest in me."

"Commander Spock is interested in you?"

"You know it's true. He's in love with me."

"Have I come at a bad time Doctor Chapel?" From the doorway of the ICU Commander Spock watched the two women warily.

"No not at all." Chapel responded evenly. "In fact I'd say your timing is just perfect. You know what they say about three is a crowd. I'll give you two kids a little privacy."

"Kids?" The Vulcan raised a puzzled eyebrow at the departing doctor, then back to Cerise.

There was uncertainty and a vunerablity in Spock's dark eyes that she'd not thought possible. He seated himself in the chair beside her. Over his shoulder, throught the glass window Cerise could see Chapel dutifully working at the small ICU desk. Dropping her hand to the side of the biobed her deft fingers found the contol chip for the intercom conntected to monitor next to the doctor. If the good doctor wanted to be "enlightened" Cerise would be more than happy to oblige.

"Lieutanant…" he began anxiously, then took a deep breath. "Cerise…there things we must discuss, things I would have you understand, things that I would ask you to forgive."

"Of course Mr. Spock." Chapel looked up at the sound of their voices, and fixed Cerise with an icy glare.

"This is difficult for me Cerise. There are things… things which Vulcans do speak of to outworlders. We are a very private people." He bowed his head for a moment and she noticed that his cheeks had taken on a slight verdigris tint. "But I must speak of them now. I have wronged you, and I must make you understand so that I can set things right."

_Oh gods of the universe he's blushing. _

"People…humans, believe that because Vulcans do not display emotions, we do not experience emotions. It is a common misperception that we allow, but the truth is that emotions run very deep in my people, so deep, in fact, that before the time of Surak our society and culture were almost destroyed by our passions.

_Emotions…deep…passions…so who's the one wasting her life now Christine Chapel? _

"The bonding which occurs between a Vulcan and his mate is a sacred thing; a practice that goes back to the earliest times…it is the foundation of the Vulcan way of life. It is difficult to explain to one not of the Tradition. It is a complete communion of body, mind and soul, a oneness that can only be broken by death."

"The blue light." Cerise whispered softly.

"The blue light?"

"I saw it…when you were in my mind I saw it. It was incredible"

He nodded gently. "The mind meld was necessary to keep you alive until Mr. DeSalle's team could reach us, necessary, but a transgression on my part nonetheless.

"For a Vulcan male, the protection of the bondmate is a primal imperative, ingrained in the Vulcan psyche. A Vulcan male would sacrifice his own life without question to protect his mate."

"So Vulcan's do love?" Cerise was certain she saw Chapel stiffen at the question.

The Vulcan responded with a raised eyebrow and a faintly bemused smile. "Yes, Cerise, Vulcans do indeed love.

"I would have you understand that, to understand how I allowed my selfishness and pride to put you in danger. Choosing you for the landing party was not based on logic. I confess my motives in bringing you down to Vericula II were quite selfish. I deluded myself into believing that my actions were appropriate; but my imprudence put your life in terrible danger."

Cerise felt her heart racing. He was in love with her, and not just in love with her he wanted to marry her, to make her his "bondmate".

"I realize now," he continued staring down at the decking, "that it was hubris on my part to believe that we could stay together on this ship, that I could somehow control what no Vulcan male could control. It is clear now that we will have to leave the Enterprise, I see no other alternative."

"Leave the Enterprise?"

"I have found suitable billets, one in in Starfleet Ops and a teaching position at the Academy for myself."

"What kind of a position in Ops?" Cerise sat up in the bed.

"Assistant Director of Emergency Opperations."

Cerise looked around the room half expecting to see Chapel jumping from the corner with a butcher knife. If this was another dream she didn't ever want to wake up. She was going to be Assistant Director of Emergency Ops, apparently Spock could pull strings at the highest levels.

"Can you forgive me Cerise?"

"Of course." She reached out and laid her hand gently on his. "As if it never happened."

Relief washed over his anguished features. "There is something else I must ask of you."

"Of course, anything."

"I must ask for your…discretion in this matter."

"Discretion?"

"I must ask that you keep what I have shared with you to yourself for the time being."

"Of course," she assured him. "I won't tell a soul."

"No one knows yet, not even the Admiral. It has been difficult to keep this from him, but Christine has been insistent."

"Christine? Christine Chapel?"

"Yes, she is hesitant about making our bonding known to the crew. I find her reasoning on the matter somewhat illogical, but I am learning that the females of your species operate under their own system of logic that is often beyond my understanding."

"You…and Dr. Chapel? You're kidding me?"

The Vulcan raised a puzzled eyebrow. "Vulcans do not kid Lt. Jones."

"You're leaving the ship with Christine Chapel? What about me?"

"You, Lieutenant?"

"I thought, I mean…well I thought …why did you…I mean, the lunches, and dinner in your cabin? You wanted me to take over Chapel's place in the lab. What was that about?"

"Christine thought your potential was being wasted in Sickbay. She asked me act as a mentor to you, to help to find you a more suitable placement. I admit to having my own reasons for wanting Christine's nights free."

"So all that talk about secret Vulcan mating crap, that was about Dr. Chapel?"

"Yes, who else would…" The color drained from the Vulcan's face and his eyes frantically darted to the ICU desk where Christine was engaging in an unsuccessful battle to keep from laughing. "You assumed that I wanted…" The look of panic on the Vulcan's face slowly morphed into one of utter mortification.

"Lieutenant Jones, It would seem that you and I have experienced a most serious miscommunication." His cool gaze and formal tone were incongruous with the way he rose from the bedside chair as though it were on fire. "I restate my apologies that I allowed my feelings for Christine's safety to put you in a position of danger."

He moved quickly toward the door, then took a deep breath to fortify himself before turning back to face her. "Lieutenant, Christine is correct, you are a very bright young woman, with promising research skills, however I must say given your complete lack of regard for Starfleet protocols and regulations I would advise you to consider some alternate line of work."

Cerise scanned the bedside table seized by an overwhelming desire to throw something at him as he walked out the ICU door. It probably wouldn't be worth the month in the brig and probable demotion that came with assaulting a superior officer, but it would certainly feel good right now

.

Through the ICU window she watched as Spock brushed an errant dark brown curl from Chapel's cheek. Christine looked up from her work and gave the Vulcan a sweet smile, her blue eyes were shining. The realization hit her like a photon torpedo. The blue light that had been just beyond her reach, it was there in Christine Chapels eyes, perfect unconditional love.

Cerise laughed bitterly. How could she have misread things so badly? Maybe she was losing her touch. Maybe Chapel was right; maybe she'd lost touch with herself. Maybe she'd spent too much of her life chasing the wrong things. It was something she would need to think about.

"You find this amusing Christine?"

Christine finished the last entry in the chartpadd and returned it to the case then stood up from her chair. "I could lie and say 'no' if it would make you feel better?"

"You are not that skillful at prevarication." Spock sighed. "Will this overturn my incarceration in the canine's abode?"

"I don't know if you're out of the dog house or not. I want some assurance that we won't have another Vulcan caveman incident."

"Vulcan caveman? Vulcan's never lived in caves Christine."

"You know exactly what I mean. You took me off of the landing party without even consulting me. And don't even try pulling rank on me buddy."

"You don't find my near death and total humiliation sufficient castigation for my transgression?"

"We both knew going into this we'd have a lot of cultural barriers to negotiate, but we have to be able to communicate and we have to be able to compromise."

"So I shall endeavor to refrain from caveman behavior."

"And I shall endeavor to balance my emotions with logic. Are you going back to the bridge?"

"No, Mr. Sulu has the conn, I am free for the rest of the evening."

"Well, we could spend the night playing chess."

"That would be one possibility."

"Or we could work in the biolabs."

"Certainly another possibility."

"Or we could go back to your cabin and breech some cultural barriers."

"What sort of cultural barriers do you have in mind Doctor?"

"Humans have a certain cultural practice sometimes utilized after a man and a woman have settled a disagreement.?"

"Indeed, please tell me more about this practice."

"Well, it's called "make up sex", and well it's rather axiomatic."

"I do enjoy a good game of chess." The Vulcan mused aloud. "And of course there is always a backlog of work in the biolabs…but I must admit I am finding this concept of "make up sex" most intriguing."

Spock walked through the outer office to the turbolift with Christine following close behind. The doors closed with a gentle swooshing sound and Spock pulled Christine into a slow soft kiss, pulling away from her only as the lift signaled their stop.

"Cerise, it is an unusual name."

"It's French, it means cherries."

"The terran fruit, sweet but with a hard center?"

"Yes."

"Appropriate."

"Spock?"

"Yes Christine."

"You know how sometimes I get annoyed when you go on about something for a while without getting to the point until the end."

"I believe you have cited your annoyance with that in the past."

"This was one time I rather enjoyed it."

FIN

For those who have read my other stories this was meant to take place between "Bodies at Rest" and "The Felinoid Quadraped has been Vacated from the Containment Apparatus"


End file.
